Convergence: Blue Beetle #1 (June 2015)

Tags

Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Bronze Age Captain Atom, Captain Atom, Chip Kidd, David McCaig, Dick Giordano, Doctor Spectro, George Pérez, Nightshade, Saida Temofonte, Scott Lobdell, The Ghost, The Madmen, The Question, Yishan Li

“Convergence”

• Writer:  Scott Lobdell
• Pencils & Inks:  Yishan Li
• Colors: David McCaig
• Letters: Saida Temofonte
• Cover Artists:  George Perez, Dick Giordano, Chip Kidd

>>>SPOILERS<<< >>>SPOILERS<<< >>>SPOILERS<<< >>>SPOILERS<<< >>>SPOILERS<<< >>>SPOILERS<<<

(You’ve been warned.)

This is what I’ve been waiting for.  The Bronze Age (and “original”) Captain Atom returns in this Convergence tie-in.  Cameos aside, this version of Cap hasn’t seen this much action since Americomics Special: Sentinels of Justice #1 in 1983 (yes, Cap was a prominent character in Multiversity: Pax Americana #1, but he was not sporting the white hair, red tights, and silver arms designed by Steve Ditko in 1967).  And even this Captain Atom isn’t exactly the Bronze Age Cap (but close enough).  While I thoroughly enjoyed his return to the printed page, I’m wondering why this issue was a Blue Beetle and not called something else (Sentinels of Justice, perhaps).  Blue Beetle isn’t really the focus of the book.  There’s as much Captain Atom and the Question in this as there is Blue Beetle.  But that minor complaint does not make me enjoy this issue any less.  I was happy with it from start to finish and am extremely pleased to see Captain Atom in any form.

The issue opens with WHUB News reporter Vic Sage (aka the Question) reporting on a terrorist attack on the already-besieged Hub City.  One of the many cities domed and cut off by Telos, Hub City is at the mercy of the Madmen.  The Madmen – armed to the teeth – are facing off against the National Guard (led by Captain Nathaniel Adam).

Okay, so Irritating Minutia Point #1: This version of Captain Atom’s real name is Allen Atom, not Nathaniel Adam.  But they are essentially the same dude so I’ll let that one slide.

The Madmen open fire so Captain Adam’s men retaliate in kind.  However, they’ve brought some more heavy weapons than the Madmen.

Vic sends his crew to upload the story and approaches Captain Adam in the aftermath of the destruction.  The Madmen appear to have all been killed.  Donning his Question mask, Vic says he’s not pleased with Adam’s handling of the Madmen situation, but that isn’t what he wants to talk about.  He tells Adam that Ted Kord requires his help.  The two part ways, with Adam not very thrilled at the prospect of hanging out with Ted.

Later, in the rooftop lab of Ted Kord at the top of Kord Industries headquarters, Ted’s assistant Tracy questions Ted about his latest “nothing burger” invention and his need to put a door in the roof of the building.  Captain Adam enters (with his side-arm drawn!?!?!?) and Ted accosts him at once about the attack on the Madmen.

Ted reveals his new invention may free Hub City from the dome and wants Nate’s approval to try.  Thinking back on the pile of dead Madmen, Nate says he has no objection.  Ted pulls a lever and the machine fires a pink blast at the dome.  It appears to not even scratch the surface.  Ted collapses, sure he’s failed, but Tracy tells him to take a look at Nate.

Captain Atom has returned to full power.  As the two heroes bicker over whether or not Ted should be allowed to suit up as Blue Beetle, Cap notices a bunch of swirly colors in the sky.  Figuring he knows what this means, Captain Atom flies off to investigate.

Irritating Minutia Point #2:  There is clearly a door in the ceiling of the room they’re in.  Tracy questioned Ted about it earlier and Ted shot a pink ray at the dome through it.  Why did Cap burst through a wall to exit the room?  Is he just being an ass?  I do like that Yishan Li drew the little sparkles around Cap, though.  Haven’t seen those in a while.

Above the streets of Hub City, Cap finds Dr. Spectro blasting the dome with his colorful rays.  Cap automatically (and wrongly, of course) assumes Spectro is behind the dome and demands answers.  The two are interrupted by the bizarre appearance out of thin air of a costumed individual neither of them recognize.

It is Booster Gold, who does not exist in the Hub City Earth (Earth-4 for those of you keeping score).  Cap assumes Booster is in league with Spectro and gives him an atomic blast.  Blue Beetle, now in costume, hurries to the fight and arrives just as Booster fades away.  This scene has played out before.  We saw it from Booster’s perspective in Booster Gold: Futures End #1 in November 2014.

As soon as Booster vanishes, Cap loses his powers.  He drops from the sky and Blue Beetle scrambles to catch him.  Neither of them are concerned about Dr. Spectro, who also loses his powers and drops out of the sky.  The Question appears on the rooftop with them, but neither Blue Beetle or Captain Adam are interested in what he has to say.

Thinking Hub City is falling victim to an earthquake, the three heroes jump off the roof onto Beetle’s Bug (piloted by Tracy).  The building they were on transforms into Telo, who tells them they must fight the heroes of the other captive cities.  The dome drops, resulting in Captain Atom’s powers returning again.

The dome drops and the heroes brace themselves for what comes next (in Convergence: Blue Beetle #2).  To be continued.

We are treated with a brief history of the Charlton characters of Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, and the Question.

Yishan Li is a capable artist, perhaps not my favorite but by no means bad.  I give his art an A.  Scott Lobdell, I feel, did the best he could with what he had (basically this is just setting up the big fight with the Legionnaires next issue) so I give this issue an A for writing as well.

(All characters and images belong to DC Comics and I am not making any profit off these characters or images.)

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Convergence #3 (June 2015)

Tags

Ivan Reis, Jason Paz, Jeff King, Monarch, Per Degaton, Peter Steigerwald, Shakira, Stephen Segovia, Travis Lanham

“Time Bomb”

• Writer:  Jeff King
• Pencils:  Stephen Segovia
• Inks:  Jason Paz
• Colors:  Peter Steigerwald
• Letters:  Travis Lanham
• Cover Artists:  Stephen Segovia, Peter Steigerwald, Ivan Reis

I’m still not reviewing this ongoing series (although I am reviewing the individual tie-in issues that feature versions of Captain Atom).  I’m not digging it as much as I was at first, but it is still pretty good.  This particular issue seemed a little too “hero-versus-hero” (although the same could be said for the entire series) but had at least one amazing (and kind of sad) moment.  You’ll have to read it (and if you already have, I’m sure you know the moment I’m referring to).  I was surprised by this particular cameo (although, I really shouldn’t have been – DC is dusting off a lot of characters for this one):

Yes, that is Monarch popping up again in the DCU.  But which Monarch is it?  One Monarch is Hank Hall (Hawk), but the most-used Monarch is a version of Nathaniel Adam that I really haven’t tackled much on this blog yet.  Honestly, he gives me a headache.  But he is Nathaniel Adam and is as much a version of Captain Atom as the Legion Lost character “Captain Adym.”  So there you have it.  A quick Monarch cameo in Convergence.  Hank Hall or Nathaniel Adam? Not sure.  But Monarch will forever be a part of Captain Atom.

(All characters and images belong to DC Comics and I am not making any profit off these characters or images.)

Justice League International #14 (June 1988) and #15 (July 1988)

Tags

Al Gordon, Batman, Big Barda, Blue Beetle, Bob Lappan, Booster Gold, Captain Atom, Fire, Gene D'Angelo, Green Lantern (G'Nort), Green Lantern (Guy Gardner), Ice, J. M. DeMatteis, Keith Giffen, L-Ron, Manga Khan, Martian Manhunter, Max Lord, Mister Miracle, Modern Age Captain Atom, Oberon, Rocket Red, Ronald Reagan, Steve Leialoha

“Shop… Or Die”

• Writers:  Keith Giffen & J.M. DeMatteis
• Pencils:  Steve Leialoha
• Inks:  Al Gordon
• Colors:  Gene D’Angelo
• Letters:  Bob Lappan

Despite being featured prominently on the cover of this issue, Captain Atom has only a cameo appearance.  He shows up in two panels and has no dialogue. A new “villain” is introduced in the form of Lord Manga Khan.  The DC wiki description of Manga Khan: “The self-ascribed lord is an intergalactic broker with connections throughout several galaxies. He is more or less considered the used car salesman of the galaxy. Manga Khan leads the bartering firm known as the Cluster and is willing to trade in any commodity of reputable value. Assisting Khan is his robotic major domo L-Ron, who is reportedly Manga Khan’s only real friend, and often serves as the sounding board to his employer’s often long-winded rants.”  When he is introduced, he has just harvested the last of the resources from an unnamed planet. L-Ron tells Khan that he has discovered a new planet with even more resources – Earth. Manga sends drone ships to the planet.

On the planet Khan has just drained, a pod crashes and G’Nort steps out.  His ring tells him this world is Yecktamecktokovia and until recently it was “pretty civilized” and not the wasteland it is now.  G’Nort encounters a native who presumably tells him of what Lord Manga Khan has done and the fact he is headed for Earth because G’Nort himself flies to Earth.

Meanwhile, back on Earth, Ice Maiden and Green Flame are trying to join the Justice League but Martian Manhunter isn’t interested. In the home of Scott Free and Big Barda, Mister Miracle, Booster Gold and Blue Beetle are watching a football game when the program is suddenly pre-empted by an alien broadcast about interstellar barter.  L-Ron informs the people of Earth that if they do not enter into trade negotiations with Khan’s Cluster, they will simply take what they want and leave Earth an empty husk.  He warns them to shop or die.

On the moon, G’Nort sees the Cluster preparing for invasion. He attacks.  The story is to be continued in the next issue.

“Gnort and South”

• Writers:  Keith Giffen & J.M. DeMatteis
• Pencils:  Steve Leialoha
• Inks:  Al Gordon
• Colors:  Gene D’Angelo
• Letters:  Bob Lappan

Picking up where the last issue left off, Justice League International #15 features Captain Atom more prominently.  On sale March 15, 1988 and cover-dated July 1988, this issue opens with Manga Khan’s Cluster being attacked by Green Lantern G’Nort.  L-Ron informs his master that the Green Lantern attacking isn’t even assigned to this sector, leading Khan to believe G’Nort is a rogue Lantern (“or an idiot,” L-Ron points out).

L-Ron informs Manga Khan that any damage G’Nort could do would be negligible, which makes me wonder just how powerful the Cluster is.  I mean, the Green Lantern rings are supposed to be the most powerful weapon in the universe.  This is probably the first hint that G’Nort isn’t exactly what he seems to be (but that is a story for another time).  Despite this, G’Nort somehow takes out the Cluster’s main power unit and their cloaking shield goes down. At the JLI’s New York embassy, Oberon sees the Cluster suddenly appear on his screens along with a power surge in Australia.  The surge blows out his monitor so Oberon hits the big “alert” button to warn the Justice League.  The surge also shorts out Mr. Miracle’s “arm unit” (his interface with his mother box) on board the JLI shuttle (where he is accompanied by Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Green Flame, and Ice Maiden).  In the last issue, Martian Manhunter had not signed Green Flame and Ice Maiden on with the JLI.  Booster is lamenting the absence of Guy Gardner but Green Flame tells him that she and Ice Maiden are the two heaviest hitters on the Global Guardians team (she also mentions that they are probationary members of the JLI).  The shuttle flies on toward Australia.

In orbit around Earth, Captain Atom, Martian Manhunter, and Rocket Red #4 have hitched a ride on a S.T.A.R. Labs space shuttle.  Martian Manhunter and Cap are wearing space suits.  I kind of have an issue with this.  Didn’t the Millennium mini-series establish that Cap could survive the vacuum of space without a space suit?  The Bronze and Silver Age Captain Atoms could.  See, look at this panel…

From Justice League International #10

I suppose it is possible that the heroes who were in space were only surviving because of a spell Dr. Fate cast or something. Martian Manhunter tells his team that all they have to do is prevent Manga Khan’s fleet from reaching Earth. The trio exits the shuttle and approach the Cluster.  At first the ships do nothing, but then they send out fighter.  It dawns on Cap that he can’t use his powers because if he does, he ruptures his suit.  If he ruptures his suit, he dies. Approaching a giant structure in Australia, the JLI shuttle is attacked by Manga Khan’s men.  Ice Maiden quickly proves her value by blasting a soldier off the shuttle with an ice blast.  Mr. Miracle and Booster leave the shuttle to fight while Blue Beetle sets her down. In space, Cap watches as Rocket Red and Martian Manhunter tear into the Cluster’s ships.  He informs J’onn that he has a plan to hold the Cluster’s forces at bay until the “powerhouses like Superman can get in on this.”

L-Ron informs Khan that G’Nort has broken off his attack on the Cluster and is instead going after the fighters.  Manga Khan is pleased, as this will save them a considerable amount in comparative damages.

Cap’s plan is to use the surround debris to batter the fighters and give them something to run from.  J’onn is less than thrilled with the plan but goes along with it as it is as good a plan as any.  Just when they are about to be toasted by an incoming fighter, G’Nort shows up and rescues them.  Cap believes G’Nort is just the advantage they’re looking for.

Back on Earth, the rest of the League is having troubles besting the Cluster’s ground troops.  Green Flame and Ice Maiden actually prove their worth, much to Mr. Miracle’s surprise.  He flies into the Cluster building while Booster and Beetle take refuge with Green Flame and Ice Maiden under Booster’s force field.

Back in space, G’Nort proves his worth by taking out some drones with wreckage from the debris field.  To the League’s surprise, the Cluster ships begin to withdraw.  On the flagship, L-Ron explains to Manga that they are reaching a point where the taking of Earth is no longer profitable (due to the Justice League’s intervention).

Back on Earth, the Cluster is also retreating.  However, Mr. Miracle is still inside one of the ships as it leaves the planet.  Before he can escape, he is grabbed by one of Manga’s men.

Rocket Red, Martian Manhunter, and G’Nort break the news of Scott’s abduction to his wife, Big Barda.  She suits up and insists on going after him.

The issue closes with a cute exchange between Batman and Guy Gardner in which Guy is trying to convince the dark knight into returning to the JLI.  This sets up the next issue, which does not feature Captain Atom so I won’t be reviewing it for this blog (but it was a really good issue and you should check it out).

This story was cute, but there still isn’t a lot for Cap to do in the Justice League.  His role increases when Justice League Europe hits the stands, but that’s still to come.  I’m not crazy about Steve Leialoha’s work on these issues, but I think it was a step in the right direction.  I give Justice League International #14 & 15 a B-.

Convergence: Justice League International #1 (June 2015)

Tags

Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, Chip Kidd, Creeper, Fire, Huntress, Ice, Jade, Ken Branch, Kevin Conrad, Mark Campos, Martian Manhunter, Metallo, Mike Manley, Modern Age Captain Atom, Nightstar, Obsidian, Paul Renaud, Red Tornado, Ron Marz, Shazam, Sotocolor, Tom Napolitano, Wonder Woman

“It Only Hurts When I Laugh, Part 1”

• Writer:  Ron Marz
• Pencils & Inks:  Mike Manley
• Colors:  Sotocolor
• Letters:  Tom Napolitano
• Cover Artists:  Paul Renaud, Chip Kidd, Mark Campos, Ken Branch, Kevin Conrad

>>>SPOILERS<<<

>>>SPOILERS<<<

>>>SPOILERS<<<

>>>SPOILERS<<<

>>>SPOILERS<<<

>>>SPOILERS<<<

(You’ve been warned.)

The Convergence continues and after a four-year absence from the DCU, the Modern Age Captain Atom returns (along with his JLI team-mates).  And Cap is front and center on the cover.

The story opens in pre-Zero Hour Metropolis.  Ted Kord (Blue Beetle) is still alive (and having a fling with Fire) and Captain Atom is still in the Justice League.  Metropolis is one of the cities being terrorized by Telos and is surrounded by a power-dampening dome.  Metallo shows up with an army of metallic men and announces he is seizing control of the city.

He doesn’t wreak havoc for long before the Justice League turns up.  Led by Blue Beetle, the only member who has powers is Red Tornado (his android body uses technology, not super powers, and he feels no effect from the dome).  The citizens of Metropolis are used to being saved by Superman, but the man of steel is not around.

Unable to use their powers, Fire, Ice, Martian Manhunter, and Captain Atom rely on their strength, fighting skills, and weapons to take out the metallic army.

Beetle tries to keep the mood light by being funny (but not quite as funny as he was in the Keith Giffen/J.M. DeMatteis era of the Justice League) even as he is ripped out of the bug (receiving a broken arm in the process).  Beetle takes out Metallo using an undetermined gadget of his own design, which results in all the metallic men shutting down.

A local shop owner accosts Blue Beetle, wanting to know who is going to repair the damage to his store.  He makes a snarky comment about there being no “real heroes” left in the world.  The team returns to their Metropolis headquarters to assess their damages.

Aside from the Bug being severely damaged and Beetle’s broken arm, the team is fine.  Metallo was sent to Dr. Emil Hamilton, who can keep him contained.

The team calls it a day.  Ice volunteers for monitor duty.  Blue Beetle and Martian Manhunter head for the workshop where Beetle begins repairs on the Bug.  He complains that there isn’t time anymore to fix things.  They mention an unsuccessful attempt to break the dome a year before and Beetle says things would be easier if Booster Gold were around.  He says he never really wanted the leadership position and offers it to Martian Manhunter (who declines).  They are both troubled by their need to fight while at the same time having no one to fight.

Ice rushes into the workshop and tells them to get to the roof.  Telos is addressing the city.  He announces that he is bringing down the domes and the various cities must fight each other to establish dominance.

Telos warns that if any of the heroes attempt to circumvent his will, the citizens of the cities will “pay the price.”  As soon as the dome is gone, everyone feels their powers returning.

Blue Beetle says he doesn’t like feeling manipulated.  He doesn’t want to fight other heroes, he wants to fight Telos.  Martian Manhunter points out that this may be the only chance they have to save Metropolis and they need to embrace it.

The sky darkens and a group of super-beings drop to the roof of the Daily Planet building.  The group, led by Wonder Wonder, consists of Earth-22’s Shazam, Obsidian, Nightstar, Jade, Huntress, Creeper, and Blue Beetle.   They are ready to fight whoever they can to establish dominance and save their world.

I have been a fan of Ron Marz since his excellent Green Lantern run in the mid-to-late 1990s.  This is no exception.  I love seeing the human side of super-heroes (Blue Beetle’s self-doubt, for example) and that seems to be something Marz excels at.  Mike Manley’s art is clean and crisp (I particularly like the menacing look he gave the newly-repowered Captain Atom).  I’d say this book is an A.  I can’t wait for the conclusion.  Blue Beetle versus Blue Beetle is the sort of comic book battle I love.

Until this issue came out, I had no idea how much I missed Ted Kord.  But, did his broken arm really heal that quickly?

Convergence #1 (June 2015)

Tags

Blue Beetle, Bronze Age Captain Atom, Captain Atom, Carlo Pagulayan, Ivan Reis, Jason Paz, Jeff King, Joe Prado, John Starr, Peter Steigerwald, Scott Lobdell, The Question, Travis Lanham

“Domesday”

• Writers:  Jeff King & Scott Lobdell
• Pencils:  Carlo Pagulayan
• Inks:  Jason Paz
• Colors:  John Starr & Peter Steigerwald
• Letters:  Travis Lanham
• Cover Artists:  Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Peter Steigerwald

As this is an ongoing title, I’m not going to spoil it here just yet.  I’ll just say it is a huge endeavor and it will have repercussions felt throughout the DC multiverse.  Multiple versions of Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, etc. will appear as will characters from little-seen-or-heard-from-Earths.  Like Earth-4 (the “Charlton” Earth).  It is kind of like this generation’s Crisis on Infinite Earths.  Captain Atom (the Bronze Age Charlton Cap, that is) will be featured and has a cameo in issue #1 (see below) along with the Question and Blue Beetle (all Ditko creations).  I’m not reviewing the series at this time but will say that so far I’m pretty pleased.